Soccer: Liverpool to play Victory

English Premier League giants Liverpool have confirmed they will travel to Australia to face A-League side Melbourne Victory at the MCG on July 24.

The visit will be the club's first to Australia and form an important part of pre-season preparations for the 2013/14 EPL season.

Liverpool will travel with a full-strength squad that could include the likes of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, England star Steven Gerrard and Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones.

"We are delighted to be playing against Melbourne Victory, one of the most successful clubs in the A-League,'' Liverpool FC managing director Ian Ayre said on the club's website.

"We know we have a large fan base in Australia and New Zealand and this visit shows our commitment to bringing the club closer to our fans all over the globe, no matter how far away from Anfield they may live.

"We are very much looking forward to playing in Melbourne and giving our supporters a chance to see the team up close.''

The match will be played just four days after fellow Premier League heavyweights Manchester United face an A-League All Stars side at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.

That match sold out within minutes and organisers are expecting another huge crowd for the Liverpool match.

Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop said the game would provide another opportunity to showcase "all that's good about the A-League after the best-ever season for the standard of play, big crowds and record TV ratings''.

Liverpool will also visit Thailand as part of their pre-season tour.

- AAP